Marked #6 is a new story arc in a series published this week by Image Comics by supernatural series veterans David Hine and Brian Haberlin.
Recap
Prior to Marked #6, the titular coven was slow on supernatural threats, so they used their magic to pursue influencer lifestyles. That is until a former member sold out to the US government to create Lovecraftian super-soldiers, forcing an all-out battle where lives are lost.
World of Marked #6
In all consideration, Marked #6 is a fairly decent place to introduce new readers. David Hine provides character moments where relationships take importance. The focus of this issue, the apparently dead Pope, manages to reach out to his friends. All through a culture that Brian Haberlin illustrates. In comparison to this pair’s previous collaboration Sonata, this series evokes their experience in supernatural series like Witchblade. Just the cremating funeral scene is rather interesting to look at how Marked has its unique culture. Not to mention, there’s a whole world of horrors that draws people in to the point of obsession. Heck, H.P. Lovecraft is a prominent character.
Art
Haberlin’s triple role as co-writer, penciler, and inker shows a great deal of investment he has in Marked #6. The amount of detail, shading, and architecture alone is phenomenal. The funeral scene at the beginning has just the right amount of atmosphere to evoke a sense of loss. The character designs meanwhile evoke their personalities, such as Saskia’s pupil-less eyes evoke that she can see people’s souls while contrasting her caring nature.
Geirrod Van Dyke’s colors just so happens to display how characters who dress mostly in black still look unique. Despite the primarily dark setting, Marked #6 displays how this might actually be the safer place. As brighter colors are an indication of threats coming their way.
Francis Takenaga, in contrast, goes out of his way to give different characters color-coded captions. Saskia has red captions with white font, almost as a sign that she is the one who will push the plot forward. Especially since it matches a word balloon of surprise that comes up later, this in contrast to the standard green captions with a yellow gothic font that describe the settings. It sets the tone for the series before moving into the subject at hand.
You Don’t Need The Full Details To Get Marked #6
It can certainly seem daunting to start a series from somewhere other than the beginning. But Marked #6 has something better going for it than continuing a story that finished. There’s an entire world that draws readers in, ready to swallow them whole for being curious. One where going back to the beginning could seem like a waste of time.
What do you think? Is Marked #6 an excellent place to get into a new world of possibilities? Or would you prefer to start at the first issue? Leave your thoughts in the comments.
